Beach
both
Level 4/10

Populo

Sao Miguel, Portugal
🪨Rocks🌀Strong rips

Praia do Populo is the Azores' most consistent surf spot—a beach break on volcanic black sand that sits in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, catching swells from virtually every direction. Located minutes from the capital Ponta Delgada on São Miguel island, this wave offers year-round potential in one of Europe's most underexplored surf regions. The dramatic volcanic landscape, thermal hot springs for recovery, and uncrowded lineups make the Azores a compelling alternative to Portugal's mainland coast. For surf explorers seeking genuine discovery, Populo is the portal to an Atlantic archipelago secret.

3-Day Forecast
Today
29
58
Fair
1.7m
@13s
13km/h
Thu
30
55
Fair
2.0m
@15s
14km/h
Fri
1
62
Fair
1.2m
@12s
10km/h
+7
Unlock

Today's Conditions

Swell
1.7m
W(265°)
Score: 21/25
Period
13s
Medium period swell
Score: 25/25
Wind
13km/h
W(262°)
Score: 5/25
Weather
15°C
0.9mm42%
Windswell Component
0.3mWSW@2s
Secondary Swell
0.9mWSW
Forecast Confidence
100%
Sources: open-meteo-marine, open-meteo-weather
Best Session
morning
AM: 7 km/h WNW|PM: 13 km/h WSW
7 km/h vs 13 km/h afternoon

Location & Conditions

Loading map...
0°45°90°135°180°225°270°315°NESW
Swell
Wind
View in OpenStreetMap
Showing forecast for today

Tide Times

6:25 am
Low tide - -0.80m
12:38 pm
High tide - 0.33m
6:43 pm
Low tide - -0.75m
Times shown in spot-local time.

Strike Score Breakdown

58
Fair
Components
Swell Direction7/25
Swell Size21/25
Swell Period25/25
Wind5/25
Raw Score58/100
Confidence
Multiplier×1.00
Final Score58

Spot Details

Swell Requirements

Optimal direction
SW (225°)
Direction range
180° - 270°
Size range
0.6m - 2.5m
Ideal size
1.9m
Height multiplier
0.92×
Ideal period
13s+

Wind Requirements

Optimal direction
N (0°)
Offshore range
315° - 45°

Tide Requirements

Optimal tide
all
Optimal range
0.5m - 1.8m

Water temp

19°C

Wetsuit

3/2mm fullsuit

Difficulty

4/10

Crowd level

3/10

Access: 10min from Ponta Delgada airport. Easy beach access.

Best Season

Peak: Oct, Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb, Mar

Secondary: Apr-Sep

Year-round waves. Winter for N swells, summer for S swells.

Getting There

Airport
PDL
Drive time
10 min
Data quality
verified

Strike Log

Community Discussion